Cold, but Not in My Columbia

A few facts:

I live in the Midwest. The Midwest gets cold. Winter coats keep you warm. Winter coats are expensive…

So one of my FAVORITE things to thrift, which I think gets slept on, are coats and jackets! For fall and spring looks, they can make or break an outfit. And in the winter when all that gets noticed is your giant puffer - it might as well be cool to look at and not break the bank.

Last spring I went to this magical place called the Goodwill Bins - where all the unsold merchandise from Goodwills go and you pay by the pound vs. per item. It’s crazy!! and also pretty gnarly… most people wear masks and gloves while rifling around in the bins, and when they put a new bin out, people flock to it like seagulls on chips at the beach. It’s not for the faint of heart…

BUT on one of my trips there, I found this bright retro Columbia ski jacket… I figured that it’d be cheap, but I wasn’t prepared for just how cheap.